theNotice

Silicone-free primer list (+ paraben-free)

August 18, 2014

18 Comments

Today’s list of silicone-free makeup primers is one that came requested by a few of our readers — and, unlike the last instalment of silicone-free cream foundations, it’s sorted by (US) price ascending rather than brand. If you prefer one over the other, please let me know — I can’t decide!

More of these primers were paraben-free than not, so primers with parabens listed in their ingredients lists are denoted with a hyphen (-). If you are extremely sensitive to parabens, however, please check the packaging or contact the manufacturer to double-check each product’s status before buying!

See more silicone-free beauty products here, and check out our old lists here.

NYX Cosmetics Dewy Finish Makeup Setting Spray ($7.99 USD)

{ ULTA }

NYX Cosmetics Matte Finish Makeup Setting Spray ($7.99 USD)

{ ULTA }

The Body Shop Skin Primer Moisturize It ($15 USD/$16 CAD)

{ The Body Shop (CA) }

Sephora Collection Silicone Free Foundation Primer ($15 USD/$19 CAD

{ Sephora }

ULTA Hydro Prime ($18 USD)

{ ULTA }

Alima Pure Balancing Primer Powder ($20 USD/$22 CAD)

{ Alima Pure | Fresh Faced }

Cover FX Blemish Treatment Primer ($22 USD/$26 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics OCC Skin Primer ($27.50 USD/$33 CAD)

{ Sephora | OCC }

Korres Vitamin E Face Primer (original) ($28 USD/$36.50 CAD)

{ Sephora | Korres }

-Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix ($29 USD/$34 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Korres Greek Yoghurt Nourishing Primer ($30 USD/$39 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Tarte Clean Slate Flawless 12 Hr Brightening Primer not Clean Slate original ($30 USD/$39 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Too Faced Primed & Poreless Powder loose only ($30 USD/$38 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Benefit Cosmetics Dr. Feelgood ($31 USD/$37 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Pür Minerals Correcting Primer Hydrate & Balance ($31 USD)

{ ULTA }

Urban Decay Brightening & Tightening Complexion Primer Potion ($31 USD/$37 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Cargo Blu-Ray Activating Face Primer ($32 USD

{ Nordstrom }

LORAC “I’m So Sensitive” Soothing Face Primer ($32 USD)

{ Nordstrom | ULTA }

-Japonesque Color Radiance Primer ($32 USD)

{ ULTA }

Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer ($32 USD/$40 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Primer ($33 USD/$43 CAD)

{ Sephora | Korres }

Korres Quercetin & Oak Age-Reversing Primer ($33 USD/$43 CAD)

{ Sephora | Korres }

-Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Original, not Hydrating $33 USD/$40 CAD

{ Nordstrom | Sephora | Space NK }

-Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance ($33 USD/$40 CAD)

{ Nordstrom | Sephora | Space NK }

-Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance Bronze ($33 USD/$40 CAD)

{ Nordstrom | Sephora | Space NK }

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Protect Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen PA+++ ($33 USD/$40 CAD)

{ Nordstrom | Sephora }

Urban Decay B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray ($33 USD/$39 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Ardency Inn Americana Ultra Lightweight Skin Perfecting Primer ($34 USD/$39 CAD)

{ Sephora }

-Skindinavia The Makeup Primer Spray ($35 USD)

{ Skindinavia }

-Skindinavia The Makeup Primer Spray Oil Control ($35 USD)

{ Skindinavia }

-Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector ($36 USD/$44 CAD)

{ Sephora }

Jouer Cosmetics Anti-Ageing Moisture Primer ($38 USD)

{ Jouer }

Jouer Cosmetics Anti-Blemish Matte Primer ($38 USD)

{ Jouer }

-Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Primer ($38 USD)

{ Beauty Bar }

-Gorgeous Cosmetics First Base Foundation Primer ($39 USD)

{ Beauty Bar }

Dior Glow Maximizer Primer ($42 USD/$42 CAD

{ Nordstrom | Sephora }

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm ($47 USD/$50 CAD)

{ Nordstrom | Sephora }

Vapour Organic Beauty Stratus Instant Skin Perfector ($48 CAD)

{ Vapour | Fresh Faced }

Vapour Organic Beauty Stratus Soft Focus Instant Skin Perfector ($56 CAD)

{ Vapour | Fresh Faced }

Tags: /Base, Other, Silicone-free, Silicone-free lists, Skincare

18 Comments

Bottega Veneta The Knot, sheet masks at Sephora, and ‘cone-free brow liners | New 17/09/14

August 17, 2014

Rae Chen

11 Comments

Hello, and welcome to another (drumroll please) New This Week!

This week, we have a whole slew of new launches this you, from brands high and low. But here are a couple highlights: sheet masks from Sephora Collection, a new fragrance from Bottega Veneta (finally!!), and 210 new eyeshadows from Make Up For Ever. (That Eyeko Brow Liner is a little bit exciting, too — it’s silicone-free.)

Tags: /New This Week (& etc)

11 Comments

Lise Watier Eden Tropical collection swatches, review, photos | Summer 2014

August 15, 2014

Rae Chen

13 Comments

The products: Lise Watier Eden Tropical Eyeshadow Palette, Eden Tropical Bronzing Powder, and 24Hrs Gel Liner

This was supposed to be yesterday’s post — a couple end-of-summer reviews to get us through the long August days up here in Canada. But, well, I got distracted while testing out the bronzer, and so this got pushed back a day for Senna’s Powder Point brush (which, if I can butt in here for a second, pairs beautifully with the Eden Tropical bronzer.)

But, without further adieu — here is the rest of Lise Watier’s Eden Tropical collection! I didn’t love these products quite as much as these three hits, but hey, you never know, right? One woman’s not-a-chance is another’s holy grail.

Lise Watier Eden Tropical Eyeshadow Palette & 24Hrs Gel Liner swatches

The Eden Tropical Eyeshadow Palette ($43 CAD) contains six shimmery eyeshadows (8.4 g in total), and each is more gorgeous than the last — literally, if you ask me. (Seriously, how great is that aqua blue?!) Each shade performed well, and the palette has good consistency in terms of texture and pigmentation, but it didn’t wow me. It was still a good palette, but I’d go for one of Lise Watier’s gorgeous–and gorgeously-packaged–Ombre Soufflé Suprême Eyeshadows ($24 CAD) in a heartbeat instead.

Lise Watier Eden Tropical Eyeshadow Palette & 24Hrs Gel Liner swatches

Lise Watier Eden Tropical Bronzing Powder

On the cheeks, I found the Eden Tropical Bronzing Powder ($38 CAD) to be too warm for my skintone, but I actually really liked the formulation — solid, easy to work with, easy to apply in layers. It gave a really pretty golden glow without too much shimmer, and I think if you have fair to light skin without any green or cool undertones, it would work well for you.

The apricot blush in the centre isn’t pigmented enough to use alone, in my opinion, but I think this bronzer makes up for that with its large pan size and gorgeous pattern — I do love a wide pan when it comes to bronzers.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Cheeks, Eyes, Grouped reviews, Lise Watier, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2014

13 Comments

Senna Powder Point 33 Brush review | The perfect bronzing brush for beginners

August 14, 2014

Rae Chen

12 Comments

The product: Senna Powder Point 33 brush (for bronzer, face powder)

I’ll be honest. The first time I tried this brush, it was with the Senna Brilliant Bronze bronzer/highlighters that it launched with — and, yeah, I didn’t love it. So after about a week of product testing, it got filed away, pushed into the back of a drawer for a while…

But then this week, I pulled it out again on a whim while testing a smoother, less shimmery bronzer. And it was amazing.

Senna’s Powder Point brush has a comfortably large (but light) shimmering seafoam handle with a slightly wider ferrule, and a domed head that tapers off quite a bit at the tip. The effect of all of these things paired together is brilliant: this brush forces you to hold it far back from its head, and ensures that you get light, even pressure with every brush stroke.

Honestly, I don’t know how I missed it the first time around: this is the perfect bronzing brush for beginners. With its loosely packed bristles and unique shape, it makes it almost impossible not to get an expertly-blended cheek with soft, diffuse edges. (And yes, if you’re guilty of over-applying face powders, it’ll help you get just the right amount of those, too.)

I do think that the Powder Point brush is a little pricy for the quality of the build, but for anyone who really struggles with making their bronzer look natural, this is going to be your magic wand. It makes it easy to slowly build up product, and it blends as you go.

This brush is similar to the Sigma F25 Tapered Face Brush and MAC 138 Tapered Face Brush, but it has a less pointed tip.

The verdict?

Senna’s Powder Point 33 brush has your standard-issue natural-hair bristles, soft but not kitten-soft, and it’s not resistant to shedding — overall, its build is pretty standard. But its tapered design and well-proportioned handle are really something special, and if you give it a chance, this is a brush that will do all the work for you.

My verdict? Skip it if bronzing and powdering are easy for you; snap it up if you want a little help. I kid you not, I could bronze with my eyes closed with this baby. (This is a fact; I’ve done it.) (What? I get bored.)

Availability: $38 USD online or in-person at Senna boutiques. { store locator }

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Indie brands, Product Photos, Product Review, Senna, Tools

12 Comments

Lush D’Fluff shaving soap, African Paradise body conditioner review, photos

August 12, 2014

Rae Chen

18 Comments

The products: LUSH D’Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap, African Paradise Body Conditioner

New this summer to the permanent LUSH range are D’Fluff and African Paradise, two cruelty-free, self-preserving products.

Read on to find out what I thought of them, and in the meantime, maybe you could try to find it within yourselves to forgive me for all the body products I’ve been writing about recently. I don’t know what’s up with that, dude.

D’Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap ($9.95 CAD/70g)

Inspired by strawberry marshmallow fluff (is that a real thing?? can I eat it??), D’Fluff is just as pink and fluffy as you’d expect. It feels like some sort of foam; like space-food from the future or something, and is scented with strawberry and vanilla. I wasn’t crazy about the scent, but Ri loved it, so I guess it can really go either way!

D’Fluff contains a ton of good stuff, from actual strawberries and egg whites to coconut oil and organic maple sugar. But, despite its cool texture and awesome ingredient list, I just couldn’t get on board with its formula, either. It’s pretty expensive at $9.95 CAD, and I found that I had to use a lot of product for each use — this pot would probably only last me a week, if I used it to shave my legs & underarms every day.

Cool as it is, I’d say skip D’Fluff, and opt for a good moisturizer instead. Followed up with African Paradise or pumpkin seed oil, I found that my skin felt just as soft shaving with good ‘ol bar soap as it does shaving with D’Fluff.

LUSH D’Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap ingredients: [EXPAND]

Water, Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Glycerine, Organic Rose Hip Oil, Cocoa Butter, Fresh Strawberries, Egg Whites, Fragrance, Maple Sugar, Vanilla Absolute, Sweet Wild Orange Oil, Rose Absolute, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Editronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Titanium Dioxide, Eugenol, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Red 27, Red 40. [/EXPAND]

African Paradise Body Conditioner ($39.50 CAD/250g)

Named for its African-sourced Fair Trade ingredients, this body conditioner (also called a “shower smoothie,” but thinking about drinking this really freaked me out) features shea buter & moringa oil from Ghana, plus aloe from Kenya. It’s the first in-shower moisturizer that I’ve tried, but I’m actually really liking it — which surprised me, because I wasn’t expecting it to do much for my super-dry skin!

Glycerine-sticky and heavily fragranced, Lush’s African Paradise Body Conditioner feels a little weird at first use. Once you rinse off (don’t scrub!) and towel dry, though, the formula suddenly makes sense — the perfect amount of product gets left behind, and you end up with soft, scented skin long into the night. It’s not as hydrating as an intensive moisturizer or body butter, but is super quick to apply and moisturizes about as well as your average drugstore lotion or body oil.

Worth noting too is that you actually need very little of this moisturizer for each use, so the 8.8 oz pot will go a long way. I’ve used this about twice as often as my little pot of D’Fluff, but while I’m halfway done the latter, I’ve barely made a dent in African Paradise.

LUSH African Paradise Body Conditioner ingredients: view

Water, Glycerine, Almond Oil, Moringa Oil, Fresh Aloe Gel, Shea Butter, Stearic Acid, Marula Oil, Baobab Oil, Kalahari Melon Oil, Fragrance, Triethanolamine, Fresh Mango Juice, Cocoa Butter, Ylang Ylang Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Geranium Oil, Frangipani Absolute, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool.

What are your favourite in-shower moisturizers? And, more importantly: do food-like products freak you out a little?

I think the problem is that I don’t trust myself around them. Like, I’m scared that one day I’m going to let my guard down and accidentally maybe eat a little bit of them.

Tags: /Grouped reviews, LUSH, Moisturizers, Other, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Skincare, Spring/Summer 2014

18 Comments

L’Occitane Frisson de Verveine review, photos: Ice Gel & Shower Gel

August 9, 2014

Rae Chen

9 Comments

The products: L’Occitane Frisson de Verveine Shower Gel & Cooling Foot Gel

It’s hard to find a good summer scent. Trust me; I know. The ones that are good never last, and the ones that last are always so heavy. And, ugh, don’t even get me started on how sticky-sweet and floral the summer heat can make feminine fragrances.

This summer, though, L’Occitane has solved the summer scent problem — in part. No one can make citrus and aquatic-family molecules linger for any longer, but this bright, genderless summer collection might be just what you need to get you through August. (I think it makes an especially appealing androgynous scent for women.)

The scent: This stuff smells good. Like, so good that when my shower is over, I have a tendency to wander back into the bathroom (hot and humid as it is), just to stand by the shower and inhale for a moment. It smells like bright summer days, and like verbena, but it doesn’t have any of the hard edges that the original L’Occitane Verveine scent has — instead, it has soft edges with just the right amount of zest.

Frisson de Verveine reminds me of D&G Light Blue and Fresh Citron de Vigne, in feeling if not in its notes. An aptly-categorized unisex “aqueous citrus,” it’s light and very fresh, almost masculine and not at all “perfumey”. But, unlike Light Blue, it’s very unique — no one is going to sniff this on you and go, “oh yeah, I used to wear that in high school.”

The Ice Gel: I found the collection’s Fresh Shower Gel ($32 CAD) to be a little drying, despite its gorgeous scent (use with a shower puff for maximum fragrance release!), but the cool-cred in this collection totally goes to the Ice Gel for Legs & Feet ($24 CAD). It’s actually a liquid, and has the coolest method of application — you roll the ball onto your skin while gently squeezing the tube to get just the right amount of product.

This is the only product I’ve ever owned with this type of packaging, and I love it. It’s easy to use, weirdly fun, and amounts to zero drips or drops. And the product inside is really good, too — while it doesn’t feel cooling on my feet (it does on my hands; I think my feet just aren’t sensitive enough), it’s surprisingly hydrating, and dries down quickly.

And yes, okay? Yes, I will admit to dabbing some of this onto my wrists as well. It just smells so good, you guys. I couldn’t help myself.

The verdict?

L’Occitane’s fragrances outside of La Collection de Grasse don’t always wow me, but wow — this one did. The perfect aquatic-citrus for both men and women, Frisson de Verveine is as bright and watery as you could wish for on a hot summer day.

But I’m going to recommend you don’t buy these two products, because I love the scent so much. Instead, I’m going to point you toward the line’s gorgeously bottled Frisson de Verveine Eau de Toilette ($56 CAD) and aerosolized Verbena Refreshing Mist ($12 CAD). This is a scent that deserves to be enjoyed both in and out of the shower.

Availability: The Frisson de Verveine range is available for a limited time at L’Occitane boutiques & online beginning this month.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Fragrance, Grouped reviews, L'Occitane, Other, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Skincare, Spring/Summer 2014

9 Comments

Annabelle Chai Eyeshadow Quad swatches, review, photos | Beautifully bronzed at the drugstore

August 7, 2014

Rae Chen

32 Comments

The product: Annabelle Cosmetics Eyeshadow Quad in Chai Chai Chai

This week is kicking my butt, you guys. It’s already Thursday and I’ve barely gotten out of bed because my abdominal muscles hurt so much — they’re so tender that touching them makes my head spin, which: never a good sign.

So, well, let’s talk makeup. I picked out a stellar product from one of my favourite lines today, and hopefully writing about it’ll help cheer me up a bit!

Annabelle Eyeshadow Quad in Chai Chai Chai

The product: Chai Chai Chai includes four gorgeous, super-smooth eyeshadows that are a dream to apply and blend. They’re crazy pigmented for a drugstore product, and apply vividly even without primer, never crumbling or kicking up dust.

The top two shades are a little more frosty than the bottom two, and the chocolate brown (third swatch) is just divine — it’s rich and dense, even more-so over primer, with a beautiful, uninterrupted finish. The darkest brown is a little drier than the rest, but makes up for it with a smattering of silver shimmer that twinkles as you move about.

Annabelle Eyeshadow Quad in Chai Chai Chai, swatched dry on unprimed skin

What impressed me most about these shades, I think, was how wearable they are. Yes, the overall feeling of the palette is very bronze, but it’s not so warm that I couldn’t wear it around if I wanted to. (If you love metals or warm colours but can’t always pull them off, this might be a good one to try.)

And, if warm bronze isn’t your thing, these quads come in cooler options, too — stormy grey-blues, cooler taupes, mossy browns, and purple-pinks.

Annabelle Chai Chai Chai swatches

The packaging: Where this product flounders (just a little!!) is its packaging. Chai Chai Chai comes with two applicators that are really just too small to be of any use — “crapplicators,” if you will.

It’s also a really hard palette to get open, which is both a positive and a negative: on one hand, it can be frustrating, but on the other, I feel 100% confident just throwing this into my bag, because it’s definitely not going to spring open if jostled the wrong way.

The verdict?

Annabelle consistently proves itself to be one of the best budget brands out there, and this quad is no exception. While the particular colour palette of Chai Chai Chai was a little too warm for my preferences (though it worked ok with my colouring), I would absolutely recommend these quads if you’re looking for a great drugstore palette for day-to-day use or travel!

Availability: $10.95 CAD at Annabelle.ca & in most drugstores across Canada.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Annabelle, Eyes, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches

32 Comments

Silicone-free creme foundations: an updated list

August 4, 2014

Rae Chen

22 Comments

EDIT 14/08/17: This silicone-free foundation list has been updated!! Check out the most current version here.

It’s taken me longer than I would have liked, but at long last: here is a new, updated version of theNotice’s creme-based silicone-free foundation list. It includes every creme silicone-free foundation I could find (both solids and balms), but if you know of one I’ve missed, please leave me a comment — I’m sure I’ve missed many from international and indie brands! (Note: due to the volume of what’s available and the nature of shopping online, please only suggest indie brands/Etsy sellers if you can personally vouch for the brand/product!)

At the moment, I’m also working on updating my list of ‘cone-free liquid and powder foundations, and will tackle moisturizers once that’s done. (These lists take a lot of time to compile, so my apologies that they’re not updated more frequently. You may only see 20 products on a list, but I’ve likely gone through the ingredients of 5x that number to find the ‘cone-free ones!)

If you have any suggestions or requests for future lists, again, please let me know! (For instance: do you like this format? Is there another product category that you’d really like to see a list for?)

See more silicone-free beauty products here, and check out my silicone-free foundation lists here.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick ($44) { Sephora \| Nordstrom }	Bobbi Brown Extra SPF 25 Tinted Moisturizing Balm ($54) { Sephora \| Nordstrom }	Bobbi Brown Face Touch Up Stick ($28) { Sephora \| Nordstrom }
Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation ($42) { Sephora }	Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Sponge-On Cream Makeup ($36.50) { Dillard’s \| Macy’s }	Iman Second to None Cream to Powder Foundation ($16) { Drugstore.com \| Walgreen’s }
Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer Makeup ($48) { Nordstrom }	Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Crème Compact Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen ($45) { Sephora \| Nordstrom \| Space NK }	Mally Ultimate Performance Professional Foundation ($40) { Ulta \| Beauty.com }
Make Up For Ever Pan Stick Foundation ($32) { AlconeCo }	Max Factor Pan Stik Foundation ($9.93) { Amazon \| Boots \| Drugstore.com }	Nvey Eco Cream Deluxe Flawless Finish Foundation ($30) { Ulta }
	theBalm timeBalm Foundation ($28) { Nordstrom \| Beauty.com }

Plus: here’s a list of theatre foundations that meet the bill. I’m a huge advocate for theatre makeup if you can sample it before buying (the shade selection is typically enormous, with plenty of colour adjusters), and many of their creme products are formulated without silicones. The price is always great, too — you use so little with all of these, and they’re usually less than $15 each!

To note, I haven’t shopped at any of these sites, but have heard great things about Beautylish, Camera Ready Cosmetics (CRC), and Alcone.

RCMA Makeup Color Process Foundation ($18) – Beautylish
Graftobian Hi Def Glamour Creme Foundation ($15.50) – CRC
Graftobian Theatrical Creme Foundation ($9.49) – CRC
Mehron Celebré Pro HD Foundation ($13.95) – AlconeCo
Kett Fixx Creme Compact Makeup ($15-30) – AlconeCo, CRC – refills, Kett
Viseart Teint Magistral Foundation ($42) – MuseBeauty
Ben Nye MediaPro HD Sheer Foundation ($22) – CRC
Joe Blasco Ultrabase Foundation ($27) – CRC
Kryolan Ultra Foundation 9002 ($13.50) CRC

Tags: /Base, Silicone-free, Silicone-free lists

22 Comments

The last Link Love | 02/08/14 Link Love

August 2, 2014

Rae Chen

1 Comment

Looking for a great physical sunscreen? This week at theNotice, Rae reviews & compares a few all-natural options for you. Don’t miss it!

Musicalhouses takes an in depth look at the controversy and science, and tackles whether parabens are safe, and their role in cosmetics!

Get Feline Fierce with Phyrra’s Too Faced Cat Eyes Tutorial!

FabDiva20 has B2M’d for four amazing MAC lipsticks from the permanent range and she is loving them that she cannot just choose one favorite out of the four! Check out her review & swatches!

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed dresses up her nails with textured top coats from Maybelline and Sally Hansen – come admire her adorned nails!

What if I told you that you can melt away make-up and impurities in less than 3 minutes?!? Jenn from SpicedBeauty has the scoop.

Tags: /BBLL (link roundups)

1 Comment

Three to try: Body oils from L’Occitane, Clarins, and Osmia Organics

August 1, 2014

Rae Chen

17 Comments

For something that sprays: L’Occitane Amande Supple Skin Oil ($ /3.4 oz)

With a formula containing over 50% sweet almond oil (and following up with fractionated coconut oil), the makeup of L’Occitane’s Amande Supple Skin Oil is pretty great. It hydrates well despite its lightweight texture, and comes in a gorgeous glass bottle with a spray dispenser — and while I don’t think it’ll make well-hydrated skin any more firm or supple (as it claims), any good body oil will do that for chronically dry skin!

However, despite the fact that I love the feel and presentation of this oil, I personally hate the scent. It opens with just a second of beautiful, nutty synthetic almond, but turns into something sharp and cloying once misted and rubbed in; something that sits in the back of my throat with painful honey-sweetness.

But, to each her own: I adore the idea of honey scents, but for some reason, I just can’t stand them in practice. If you love scents like Lise Watier’s Something Sweet or Marc Jacobs Dot (or anything with honey in it!), I bet the L’Occitane Amande body oil would work beautifully for you.

L’Occitane Supple Skin Oil ingredients: view

Sweet Almond Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Fragrance, Oleyl Alcohol, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Bergamot Fruit Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Dioleyl Tocopheryl Methylsilanol, Limonene, Coumarin, Linalool, Citral.

For shine and shimmer: Clarins Shimmer Oil for Face & Body ($ /3.3 oz)

Of these three oils, Clarins’ is the only one I haven’t tested — and for good reason. This beautiful bi-phase oil (the shimmer separates out) has wonderful, chunky-chic packaging and a captivating amount of warm shimmer particles, but it’s actually a silicone-oil: the formula contains plenty of glittering minerals, but its liquid phase is based mainly on coconut oil fractions and cyclopentasiloxane.

For those of you who missed out last year, this is an exact copy of Clarins’ Splendours Body Oil, from the packaging to the ingredients; the packaging simply lost the “Splendours” label and picked up a “face & body” descriptor.

Clarins Shimmer Oil ingredients: view

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isononyl Isononate, Hazel Seed Oil, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Bisabolol, Fragrance, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Tin Oxide, Sunflower Seed Oil, Coumarin, Linalool, Farnesol.

For a sexy scent: Osmia Organics Sunset Body Oil ($30 USD/2 oz)

I seriously need to try out some new Osmia oils, because Sunset still has me smitten — months after the first time I tried it. Their oils are all-natural and beautifully scented, with a luxurious fractionated coconut oil & jojoba base that delivers wonderful, completely lightweight moisture.

I’ve tested quite a few body oils since falling in love with this one, but Sunset is still my favourite by far. The delicate, feminine scent lasts all day long (it’s a super-sexy rendition of vanilla; slightly spicy and just barely floral), and though the price tag is a little high, it’s an easy compromise to make — it may be sold as a body oil, but it can definitely double as your perfume.

Osmia Organics Body Oil ingredients: view

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Fractionated Coconut Oil), Jojoba Oil, Kukui Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Rosehip Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Hemp Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Borage Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Sea Buckthorn Berry Co2 Extract, Rosemary Co2 Extract, And A Proprietary Blend Of Organic And Wild-Harvested Essential Oils And Co2 Extracts.

Tags: /Clarins, Grouped reviews, Indie brands, L'Occitane, Moisturizers, Osmia Organics, Other, Product Photos, Product Review, Skincare, Spring/Summer 2014

17 Comments

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick ($44) { Sephora \| Nordstrom }	Bobbi Brown Extra SPF 25 Tinted Moisturizing Balm ($54) { Sephora \| Nordstrom }	Bobbi Brown Face Touch Up Stick ($28) { Sephora \| Nordstrom }
Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation ($42) { Sephora }	Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Sponge-On Cream Makeup ($36.50) { Dillard’s \| Macy’s }	Iman Second to None Cream to Powder Foundation ($16) { Drugstore.com \| Walgreen’s }
Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer Makeup ($48) { Nordstrom }	Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Crème Compact Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen ($45) { Sephora \| Nordstrom \| Space NK }	Mally Ultimate Performance Professional Foundation ($40) { Ulta \| Beauty.com }
Make Up For Ever Pan Stick Foundation ($32) { AlconeCo }	Max Factor Pan Stik Foundation ($9.93) { Amazon \| Boots \| Drugstore.com }	Nvey Eco Cream Deluxe Flawless Finish Foundation ($30) { Ulta }
	theBalm timeBalm Foundation ($28) { Nordstrom \| Beauty.com }